


Bad Enough For You

by thesoulsailor



Series: one shots [1]
Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band)
Genre: Bad Boy Michael, Fake/Pretend Relationship, M/M, Posh Luke
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-12
Updated: 2015-10-12
Packaged: 2018-04-26 03:09:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,659
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4987801
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thesoulsailor/pseuds/thesoulsailor
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>To spite his parents, Luke hires Michael as his pretend boyfriend.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bad Enough For You

**Author's Note:**

  * For [rollercoastar](https://archiveofourown.org/users/rollercoastar/gifts).



> Happy, happy, happy birthday to the light of my life, my Dutch candy, my bubble, my [James](http://itlukey.tumblr.com/) *strums guitar* I dedicate this fic to you, the one who always sees the truth xx 
> 
> (title taken from the All Time Low song of the same name, fic inspired by the song '18' by Anarbor)
> 
> Enjoy!

Luke could hear the angry Bring Me The Horizon even before he had reached the side door of Ashton’s garage. Sending a quick prayer to the sky that he would not have to deal with the sight of his best friend doing it naked on the carpet that Luke had looted in his grandmother’s attic, again, Luke pushed the side door open.

Ashton was, to Luke’s relief, still wearing pants when Luke pulled the door close behind him. Unfortunately, pants were also about the only thing Ashton was wearing still. Luke’s grunt was swallowed by Oli Sykes screaming about wolves and thrones.

The preference for ear-splitting alternative metal was definitely the worst thing about Ashton’s new boyfriend. But then, that had been the purpose of Ashton dating a punk from public school in the first place. The music, along with Calum’s tattoos and piercings and the blonde streak dyed through his jet black hair that made him look like he fell straight out of a superhero comic, those were all just means to piss Ashton’s mother off as much as possible. Had been in the beginning anyways. Calum had passed the three month mark. He was the first to do so.

Loosening the tie of his own uniform, Luke kicked Ashton’s school blazer out of the way and let himself fall into the arm chair. He watched Ashton and Calum suck face for a couple more seconds. Calum was straddling the curly-haired boy, their hands tangling in each other’s hair. Luke was thankful the noises they made got swallowed by the music. As soon as Calum began grinding his hips, Luke threw a pillow. Ashton who had his chin hooked over Calum’s shoulder, ripped his eyes open, glaring.

Luke smiled sweetly and flipped him off.

Ashton raised his middle finger right back at him, but pushed Calum off of his lap nonetheless. Calum seemed to land on the remote for Ashton’s stereo, as in the next moment, the music broke off.

“Thank god,” Luke moaned out, obscenely massaging his temples. “That was unbearable.”

“It’s their new album,” Calum informed him, the excited smile on his face involuntarily making Luke smile back. It was hard, disliking Calum. The guy was like a puppy, with his deep brown eyes and excitable persona. Also comforting. Luke already felt the majority off his bad mood vanish.

“And it’s a great album,” Ashton assured his boyfriend before turning towards Luke, “now Lucas, what do we own your joyous presence?”

“I have a problem.”

“An ‘I can’t find a matching pair of shoes for my new headphones’ problem or a real problem?”

Luke huffed, “A real problem.”

“Okay,” immediately, Ashton dropped his pretend annoyance and leaned forward, earnestness taking over his expression, “what’s up?”

“So, yesterday evening-”

“Wait, wait,” Ashton cut him off, “it happened yesterday and you waited until now to tell me? That’s a violation of the bbff code, bro.”

Luke grunted, “Well, I would have told you in school already, if you would have been there.”

“Not my fault,” Ashton dimpled innocently, “I had a terrible headache.”

Calum next to him grinned and Luke rolled his eyes. “Yeah, sure. In any case, we had our usual Monday family dinner last night, yeah?”

Ashton nodded, “Hemmings family dinner, gotcha.”

Luke sighed, “And I swear to god they have done this before but last night was unbearable. They kept pestering me about when I am going to bring someone home. Every. Five. Minutes.”

Ashton hummed, “Jenny was there?”

“Yeah,”, Luke leaned back into the armchair, “at least Ben used to suffer with me, but since he’s dating her he’s off the hook. Jack has been dating for Celeste forever anyways, so now all the attention’s on me.”

“Sounds horrible,” Calum said, sympathetically.

Luke nodded, “I need a boyfriend.”

Ashton snorted, “You wanna tell me you have trouble pulling a guy?”

“I have no trouble pulling someone from our school,” Luke huffed, “but that’s not what I need.”

“I don’t understand. Just bring home a guy and then dump him again.”

“No, then my parents will fuss over the break-up. I need, no I need him,” Luke pointed at Calum.

“Hey,” Ashton frowned, putting a possessive arm around Calum’s waist, “that one’s mine. You can’t have him.”

“Ugh, please,” Luke rolled his eyes, “I don’t want him him.”

This time it was Calum’s turn to frown, uttering a quiet “Hey.” He was quickly consoled when Ashton pressed a kiss to his lips, assuring him that Ashton indeed did want him. Very much. In various places.

Luke didn’t even try to mask his gagging.

“What I mean,” he said loudly before the lovebirds in front of him could pick up the sucking face again, “is that I need someone _like_ him. I need someone who will behave so horribly and vulgar and…”

“... and punk?” Calum suggested.

Luke snapped his fingers at him, “Yeah, and punk, that my family will never again so much as dare to ask me about a boyfriend.”

“Mhm,” Ashton sat back, obviously contemplating.

It was Calum who chimed up in the end, “I think I know someone.”

“Really?” Luke asked.

“Really?” Ashton asked, voice all mushy.

“Yeah,” Calum grinned, “I know just the one.”

*

Luke helped his mother put the last bowl onto the table. It was Monday night and their dinner had been supposed to start fifteen minutes ago.

“Jack, put that cheese stick right back to where it came from!”, his mother scolded while Luke sat down on his usual chair. The one next to him was empty. “We are not starting without Luke’s boyfriend!”

Pouting, Luke’s older brother laid the appetiser back into the bowl he had taken it from. “Not my fault Lukey’s boyfriend is late.”

His girlfriend Celeste next to him patted him sympathetically on the arm.

“Be nice, Jack,” their father reprimanded, a disgruntled expression on his face that was probably more due to the fact that he had been interrupted from his discussion with Ben about rugby than the fact that Jack was obviously a glutton. “This is an important evening for your brother and you will act accordingly.”

While Jack grumbled, Luke took a quick glance at his phone. He had spent the past week texting with the number Calum had given him. It had become this weird habit for Luke to read their initial conversation over and over again.

**To: Calum’s friend, sent Monday 7.45pm:**

Hi.

**From: Calum’s friend, read Monday 8.01pm:**

hello?

**To: Calum’s friend, sent Monday 8.02:**

Sorry that I text you like this! But Calum may have told you about me? I’m Luke.

**From: Calum’s friend, read Monday 8.02pm:**

Luke! yeah Cal told me. name’s Michael. you’re the one with the need for some wicked fake boyfriend show right?

**To: Michael, sent Monday 8.03pm:**

That would be me, yes. What I need is for you to misbehave so badly that my parents will never ask me after a boyfriend again. You have to be as crude and impolite as possible. Do you think you can do that?

**From: Michael, read Monday 8.05pm:**

i’ll misbehave if it turns you on ;)

**To: Michael, sent Monday 8.07pm:**

Sorry, I mean a fake boyfriend!!

**From: Michael, read Monday 8.08pm:**

… yeah... i got that sweetcheeks. fake boyfriend, will do.

**To: Michael, sent 8.08pm**

I really need you to go all out. Is that possible?

**From: Michael, read 8.09pm**

that can be arranged

**To Michael, sent Monday 8.09pm**

Thank you!

**From: Michael, read Monday 8.11pm**

no worries, Lucas. text me the time and address, i’ll be there ;)

 

They had texted only twice after that, once had been Luke sending Michael the details where he was living at and when dinner was starting, the second time had been this morning where Michael had, upon Luke’s nervous request, assured him that he was indeed coming.

“Did he text you, Lukey?” Ben asked him.

Luke tried hard not to roll his eyes. He knew his brother’s queasiness was a hundred percent stemming from the fact that Ben didn’t want to miss the Roosters playing in an hour.

Before he could answer, there was an deafening bang resonating through the house.

“Was that a gunshot?” Jack asked.

Luke didn’t bother to answer. He bolted up and ran to the front door. A quick glance at the grandfather clock in the foyer assured him that Michael was right on time, or rather right not on time. Luke’s father overtook him just when Luke’s fingers grazed the handle. Patiently, Luke let his family spill out onto their front lawn before he followed.

The noise turned out to not have been a gunshot, but the backfire of a vehicle that Luke could only describe as an old, beat up _rapist_ van. The words “Savage Cows” were spray-painted in neon yellow onto the side of it. Right on the hood someone had added an artistic drawing of two cows headbanging.

“He’s here,” Luke announced happily, just as the driver’s door opened. It occurred to Luke then, that he should have asked for a picture beforehand. Because even he was unprepared for that.

Clad in nothing but combat boots and black skinny jeans, the boy that had to be Michael jumped off the driver’s seat of the van. He landed as smoothly as a cat on the curb. Luke could see vast expanses of pale skin moving as Michael rightened his back, running a hand through his flaming red hair. The other he lifted to pluck the cigarette from the corner of his mouth, a slow grin spreading over his lips.

Luke could hear his mother gasp when Michael flicked the cigarette into her rose bushes. The scarlet-haired boy waved at them before turning around and climbing back into the van. Shirt in hand, Michael reemerged. He had just begun to make his way towards them when he suddenly stopped and took a step back. Pulling the shirt over his head and down his body, Michael turned his back towards them. Feeling his eyes widen, Luke watched Michael wedge off an unambigious white mass of latex off his shoe.

Jack next to him breathed out a “Oh my god, that was used”, while Michael finally made his way down the short gravel way leading up to the house.

As soon as he was in earshot, Michael spread out his arms, steering towards Luke with a more than enthusiastic “Hey, baby!”

When Luke realised what was about to happen, it was already too late to prepare. Not that Luke was sure it was even possible to prepare himself for the way Michael bent him over and, without the least bit of hesitation, shoved his tongue down Luke’s throat. Michael turned out to be a good kisser, Luke had to give him as much, despite how shamelessly he was licking into Luke’s mouth. The other boy's mouth tasted nice, like nicotine but with mint and something Luke couldn’t decipher being more prominent. The shocked noises his family uttered were worth it in any case.

So Luke focussed on trying to contain the surprised squeak that was still stuck in his throat. The heavy stench of CK One Michael was oozing made Luke woozy enough to give up all control as he was being snogged senselessly in front of his family. Eventually, Michael let him go, green eyes gleaming with mischief as he pulled away.

"Hey," Luke mused, finding it surprisingly easy to imitate the mushy tone of voice Ashton used on Calum all the time. Michael grinned and Luke cleared his throat, "Mum, Dad, this is Michael."

"Amazeballs to meet you!" Michael shook the hands of Luke's parents.

Luke felt triumph as he watched his parents quickly mask their matching expressions of discomfort.

"Michael, these are my parents Liz and Andrew and my brothers Ben," Luke pointed at the elder, "and Jack."

Jack visibly swallowed before taking Michael's hand uttering a quiet "Hey."

Luke could see Celeste squeeze his other hand.

"Whaddup, man!" Michael chimed, shaking his hand just as enthusiastically.

It was Ben who didn't bother feigning any false hospitality. Mouth pressed into a tight line he reclined Michael's hand and turned to his parents instead. His gaze was begging them to say something, anything, to keep Michael out of their house. Luke had a hard time to suppress the triumphant smile when Ben was declined. Andy shot the older boy a stern gaze, silently admonishing him to show his manners while Liz forced a smile at Michael.

"It's very lovely to meet you, Michael. We are excited to get to know our son's boyfriend."

"'s cool to get to know my babe’s folks as well," Michael mused, slinging his arm around Luke's waist, pressing them together. Luke made a point of looking at Michael all lovey-dovey. It gave him a good excuse to properly examine Michael’s face. Apart from the blood red hair and light eyes, Luke’s eyes roamed over roundish yet sharp features, plump pink lips and an abundance of metal through Michael’s eyebrow, ears and if Luke remembered the clinking sensation against his own teeth correctly, also Michael’s tongue.  

"Dinner is ready," Andy said, ending the stretch of uncomfortable silence, and ushered them all into the house. Luke made sure to hold Michael back a bit while his family crossed the foyer and disappeared into the dining room.

“That was genius,” he murmured.

“Thanks,” Michael’s eyes twinkled with mischief. His voice was several tads deeper when he wasn’t talking all excitedly, smoother, “and only the beginning. I got some great things planned.”

“Oh, I am ready,” Luke masked his grin as a starry-eyed one when they entered the dining room.

Keeping their hands intertwined, Luke pulled him to the side of the table. Obediently, Michael sprawled himself out on the chair next to him. Forcefully, he pushed his chair up to Luke’s until there wasn’t an inch of space between them left, and draped his arm over Luke’s back rest.

Liz lifted the lid off the biggest pot on the table, “I wasn’t quite sure what you like to eat, Michael, so I made potato casserole with various side dishes. Feel free to take whatever you want.”

“Oh, I love potatoes, thank you. Fries are my favourite food, so I’m sure this will be great,” Michael beamed when he got offered his plate, “Man, that looks...”

“... amazeballs?” Jack suggested under his breath. Quickly he hid himself behind his glass of wine when he noticed his mother’s glare.

“Thank you, Michael,” Liz said, pointedly, handing the scarlet-haired boy his plate.

Michael took it with a wink and a “Thanks, Lizzy.”

Luke had a hard time keeping his wine off his shirt as he spluttered. He wasn’t the only one. Ben wasn’t as lucky as him, a few splatters of Château landing on the buttonline of his dress shirt. Luke didn’t mention it. The nickname had done the trick though, Luke’s mother was effectively put out, her mouth gaping open before she snapped it shut and furiously began shovelling potato casserole onto plates.

Michael bridged the time until everyone had received their food with stroking Luke’s face, cooing and stealing quick yet obscene kisses. It should have been weird, feeling Michael’s lips repeatedly on his, but somehow it wasn’t. It felt quite nice, if he was being honest. Maybe he understood where Ashton was coming from with his constant need for PDA.

“So you’re Luke’s boyfriend?” Celeste asked after a stretch of silence where everyone of them was busy chewing, digging into their food.

Michael smiled widely at her, jiggling the arm he had draped over Luke’s shoulder, “Yep, that’s me.”

“Unbelievable,” Ben sneered under his breath, but Michael heard him nonetheless. Something dangerous flashed in his green irides as he turned towards the older boy.

“Luke told me you got a girl,” Michael rested his chin onto one hand, “Where is she?”

Ben snarled in response, heaving in a breath. Liz intervened before Ben could voice his answer, gaining both their attention by setting the salad bowl in her hands down forcefully.

Feign smile splitting her face in half, she turned towards Michael, “Unfortunately Ben’s girlfriend couldn’t be with us tonight. Jenny’s on a sailing tour with her parents.”

“Oh, nice nice,” Michael smiled. His mouth dropped as a thought crossed his mind, “wait, her name’s Jenny. So you’re Ben and Jenny?”

Michael began laughing, the joke clearly lost on everyone else.

“You two should make ice cream, call it Ben & Jenny’s.”

This time, Luke cracked into grin. Even if his joy was decisively more due to the way his family was forcing themselves to laugh.

“So, Michael,” Andy said once they had all begun to dig into their meals again, “we’re quite curious about you. Do you mind if we ask some questions?”

“Nah,” Michael smiled around the chunk of steak he was currently trying to retch down. He waved with his knife, “hit me.”

“I have a question,” Ben chimed up, haughty smile making its way onto his face. Luke couldn’t help but narrow his eyes at him. Ben noticed, quickly masking his joy, “So, what do you do for a living?”

“Oh, easy peasy” Michael shrugged, “I’m an entrepreneur.”

“An… entrepreneur?”

Jack’s expression at the other end of the table dropped to one of pure horror. Luke needed a moment to connect the dots. Oh god. Michael was telling his family he was a drug dealer.

“Yes,” Michael swallowed, “but that’s only my second job. Mainly, I play in a band.”

Luke’s mother paled, “In a band?”

“Savage Cows?” Celeste suggested, real amusement making her eyes sparkle.

Michael wiggled his fork at her, “Yeah, yeah. We play bars and shit. You should come some time, I can easily put you on the guest list.”

“That’d be… lovely.”

“No problem!” Michael preened before turning to Andy, “So with a fancy place like this one you got going on, I imagine you’re shovelling real money?”

Luke could hear one of his brothers snort. Celeste let out a barely suppressed giggle. Luke cut off a slice of his steak and shoved it into his mouth before making doe eyes at his father.

“Uhm,” Luke’s father set his cutlery down, “well I work for a law firm. My company is specialised on economic right. My wife is a teacher.”

“A teacher,” Michael gaped at Liz, “oh man, that’s cool. I never got along with my teachers when I was in high school.”

“Oh,” Luke’s mother said. Luke relished in the several seconds of uncomfortable silence that ensued. Liz was the one to break it, “but I suppose your disliking of them vanished once they had gotten you through your finals, right?”

Michael shrugged whilst looking down at his plate, “Eh, wouldn’t know. I dropped out of school in junior year.”

With a loud clattering sound, Liz’s cutlery dropped to her plate. Luke could hear Ben choke on his bread.

“You alright, man?” Michael asked non-chalantly, a devilish glint in his eyes. Luke watched blotches of red appear on his oldest brother’s neck. Ben looked seconds away from leaping over the table. Two down, two more to go, Luke thought. He squeezed Michael’s hand under the table, receiving a quick rasp of the other boy’s fingers over his kneecap in return.

They spent the rest of the main course in silence until eventually, Luke’s mother released them all with the promise of dessert soon.

“Thanks, Lizzy, that was delicious!” Michael exclaimed, ignoring the hands of Luke’s father who was trying to collect his plate, and jumped off his chair. Clutching Luke’s hand, he pulled Luke with him. Luke could feel five pairs of eyes bore into his back as he lead Michael up the stairs. Michael made a show of slapping him on the butt halfway through, visible (and audible) for everyone left in the dining room.

Luke burst into a manic fit of giggles once he had closed the door of his room behind them.

“Oh my god,” he panted, “that was glorious.”

Michael, also giggling, took an elaborate bow, “Thank you, thank you. I think the prissy brother had a heart attack like halfway through. At least your mother looked seconds away from one.”

“My mother will never get over the fact that you dropped out,” Luke giggled, “nor will my father. And an entrepreneur? Really?”

Michael grinned, rubbing the laughter tears from his eyes, “You wanted the whole package. Also I really am an entrepreneur.”

Luke nodded, taking a quick look at his phone. “Dessert will be ready in about ten minutes. We should stay at least twenty, I really want my parents to think we’re fucking.”

“Only twenty?” Michael asked with a mischievous glint in his eyes, “I am offended. My stamina is better than that.”

The statement made something inside Luke’s stomach curl. Before he could get think too much about the feeling, Michael was launching himself onto his bed. A frown appeared on Michael’s face as the bed didn’t give much more than a low creak.

“Man your bed sucks ass,” the scarlet-haired boy complained, “how am I supposed to have bed-breaking sex with you when your bed won’t break?”

Luke’s throat was dry, so he swallowed, “Sorry.”

“‘s fine,” Michael smiled, “It’s hella comfy.”

With a dramatic sigh he let himself fall back. Luke tried hard to not stare at the pale stretch of stomach that was revealed when Michael’s shirt rode up. Instead, he turned towards the TV mounted to his wall and fished the game controllers from the shelf underneath.

“You wanna play Fifa?”

“A gamer,” Michael sat up, green eyes wide, “and with taste. Not bad, Lucas, I’m impressed.”

“Oh shut up,” Luke rolled his eyes and motioned Michael to budge over. The scarlet-haired boy obliged. They ended up sitting with their backs to Luke’s wall, legs and upper bodies pressed together at one side. Luke had the suspicion Michael only had done it to be able to fold himself over Luke’s body whenever one of Luke’s players had the ball. Not that it would have made much of a difference.

“Well fuck me, you suck at this game,” Michael stated after their second match, both of which Luke had lost.

“I am better at other games,” Luke sniffed, tilting his nose high into the air.

“Yeah?” Michael raised his pierced eyebrow at him, the corners of his mouth twitching, “which ones?”

“Uh,” Luke felt his cheeks burn.

“Luke,” Michael leaned forward, green eyes gleaming as he dropped his voice to a low, “tell me.”

“Mario… Kart?” Luke suggested, a little breathless.

As expected, Michael burst into a fit of laughter. “Of course. I knew it, Hemmings, under all that my-face-is-better-than-yours prep school galore you’re a huge fucking loser.”

“Hey,” Luke scowled, “it’s a classic.”

“Change the disc, Lucas.” Michael rolled his eyes, but fondly, “and dibs on Yoshi.”

Unsurprisingly, Michael was invincible at the new game as well, his character cutting ahead of Luke’s within the felt blink of an eye. Luke took it with composure. The small cries of victory Michael let out whenever he won were worth losing. Luke almost felt a pang of disappointment in his chest when, eventually, Michael threw his controller onto Luke’s pillow.

He turned to Luke with twinkling eyes, “I think now even the square brother has realised that we went upstairs to bang.”

Luke nodded and shut the console down before following Michael off the bed and towards the door. Hand on the handle, Michael turned towards him. “Ready for the big finale?”

Luke felt excitement tingle in his stomach. Whatever Michael had planned, Luke knew it would be great.

“I was born ready,” he grinned.

Michael rolled his eyes at him, then after a moment of silent contemplation pounced Luke. Michael clashed their lips together, almost violently pulling at Luke’s hair.

“Tug my hair as well, dishevel it,” Michael commanded when they broke for air and Luke understood. Obediently, he began carding his fingers through the scarlet strands, scratched his nails over the pale skin of Michael’s neck. Meanwhile, Michael latched onto his neck and Luke could feel the blood vessels beneath his skin pop. That hickey would end up the size of Australia.

Once Michael was content with his work, he pulled away, examining Luke, “Nice, that’ll do. I think you look as fucked out as possible.”

Luke bit his lip, savouring the tingling sensation on them. Seemingly unfazed by their make-out session, Michael patted his cheek, then he turned back around and pushed down the handle to Luke’s room. Luke followed him with slightly wobbly knees.

“I’ll be there in a sec, I need to get something from my car,” Michael told him once they had made it down to the foyer. “Make sure everyone’s around.”

“Okay,” Luke watched curiously how Michael disappeared through the front door, then he made his way into the living room. As expected, his family was already assembled there. Jack and Celeste were sharing the big sofa with a rather bored looking Ben, while his father had taken a seat in the arm chair. His mother was standing in front of the loveseat, placing a plate full of chocolates on the coffee table.   
“You missed dessert,” Jack informed Luke once the older brother had spotted him.

“Yeah, sorry,” plastering a sheepish smile onto his face, Luke rubbed the back of his head. He was careful to expose his neck as far as possible whilst doing so, granting everyone a good view of the hickey blooming on his neck, “We uhm… got busy.”

Luke pretended not to notice the awkward silence as he took a seat next to his mother.

Ben leaned forward, the corner of his mouth twitching, “Where is loverboy?”

“He’s just getting something from his car,” Luke smiled sweetly at him, “he told me he had a surprise.”

“Oh, really?”

“Ben!” Liz scolded.

Before Luke’s brother could answer, they were interrupted by the distinctive sound of a guitar being strummed. The next moment, Michael sauntered into the living room, a worn acoustic in his hands.

“Hey, everybody,” Michael shot everyone a quick grin before nodding at Luke, “babe. When Luke told me I was coming over for dinner, I was quite nervous so I prepared a little song for you, especially for you Mr Hemmings. I hope you like it.”

And with that, Michael’s finger flew over the strings of the guitar and he was playing a quick succession of chords before settling for a more reggae sounding rhythm. Luke’s mouth dropped open when he recognised the tune. _No fucking way._

Michael cleared his throat, “Monday morning, jumped out of bed.” Michael’s voice was low and raspy, fit for harder music than the chart bop he was about to perform, but the smug tone to it made up for all of it. Luke was pretty sure his heart stopped beating right then and there. “And put on my best suit. Got in my car and raced like a jet all the way to you. Knocked on your door with heart in my hand to ask you a question,” Michael flicked his gaze up, winking at Luke’s dad, “'Cause I know that you're an old-fashioned man, yeah.”

It was then that Luke’s brothers and Celeste recognised the tune, a matching expression of horror and _oh my god he is not_  appearing on their faces. But Michael was, oh, he was.  

“Can I have your son for the rest of my life?” the scarlet-haired boy belted out, “Say yes, say yes 'cause I need to know,” he put a heartbroken frown on his face as he looked at Luke’s mother, “You say I'll never get your blessing 'til the day I die: Tough luck, my friend, but the answer is 'No'.”

Luke’s mother beside the blond boy gasped.

“Why you gotta be so rude? Don't you know I'm human too? Why you gotta be so rude?” Michael let a sly smile appear on his lips, the flash of danger returning to his eyes as he sang, “I'm gonna marry him anyway.” He took a step closer to Luke. The blond boy risked a quick glance around. Celeste had her hands covering her eyes, his brothers were openly gaping and by the looks of it, his father was seconds away from a heart attack.

“Marry that boy,” Michael took another step closer, “Marry him anyway. Marry that boy,” his grin became malicious, “yeah, no matter what you say. Marry that boy!” giving the guitar a final, dramatic strum, Michael threw it to the ground as he dropped to one knee, ending the note in a scream while he ripped his arms open, beaming it Luke with a thousand watt smile, “Will you marry me, Lukey baby?”

Before Luke’s brothers could leap over the coffee table, before Luke’s dad could get his rifle from the tea cabinet or his mother finally utter the scream she had been holding since dinner had started, Luke was launching himself forward, straight into Michael’s arms.

“Yes!” he exclaimed, giggling like a maniac into the sloppy and disgustingly wet kiss Michael placed on his mouth, “Yes, yes! A thousand times yes!”

“Luke!” his mother screamed. It was like someone had pulled the plug from a champagne bottle. Suddenly, there was havoc splashing everywhere. Luke didn’t have eyes or ears for any of it. All he could see was Michael grinning at him, all he could hear was Michael laughing as the scarlet-haired boy grabbed his hand and pulled him into a mad dash for the front door.

“Drive, fuck drive!” Luke screamed once they had made it into the van. Through the window on Michael’s side, Luke could see his brothers ran towards the vehicle as well. With a roaring sound, the engine of the van came to life and the car leapt forward, leaving the greater part of Luke’s family to swallow dust while Michael steered the van onto the streets.

*

To celebrate their engagement, Michael took Luke to McDonald’s.

“Here, a crown for you pretty blond head,” Michael smiled once he had set down their meals in front of them, swinging the red and yellow paper crown around his index finger. Luke let Michael put it onto his head, thanking him as seriously as he could. Which, of course, meant the very opposite of serious. Luke was still bursting into manic fits of giggles every few seconds, the image of his brother’s face when Michael had proposed enough to tip him over the edge every time.

Michael joined him, chuckling after every other bite of his burger, “I think that was probably the greatest thing I’ve ever pulled.”

“Agreed,” Luke grinned around a mouthful of fries, “now my parents are never going to bug me again. You were genius.”

“My pleasure,” something about the way Michael said it, all raspy and deep, made Luke’s stomach curl. To hide the burning of his cheeks, he buried his face in his own burger. Michael waited until they had both finished off their meals before he spoke again, falling against the backrest of their booth with a content sigh.

He said, “I think I should probably bring you back now. Not that your parents struck on the idea of calling the cops on me for kidnapping their golden boy or something.”

Luke couldn’t help the frown that forced its way onto his face at the thought.

Nonetheless, he nodded, “Yeah, you’re probably right.”

When he looked up, it was to find Michael already smiling at him.

“What?”

The scarlet-haired boy shook his head, “Nothing, Lucas. C’mon, pack up your fries. Let’s get you back home.”

*

Michael dropped him off at the corner of the street. Luke wanted to turn around after he had jumped onto the curb, and tell Michael goodbye, but before he had any chance to do so, Michael was already pulling the passenger door close, driving off with nothing but a small wave and rock music blasting from the car’s speakers. Luke tried hard to swallow down the gutted feeling in his chest as he made his way down the street to his house.

It was fine. The night had been a one time thing, Luke had known as much beforehand. Michael simply had done him a favour. It wasn’t like they were friends or- like they were anything.

Bent on avoiding the confrontation with his parents for the night, Luke snuck in through the backdoor. He knew the route well, had taken it countless of times before when he had come home too late after a night out with Ashton or some other of his friends.

Once he had made it into his room unscathed, Luke kicked off his shoes and ripped open the buttons of his dress shirt. He contemplated on calling in sick tomorrow, just so he wouldn’t have to force himself back into the uniform, but let the thought drop quickly. His mother would kill him, if she didn’t do it just for what he had done tonight.

Luke uttered a quiet scream when he looked out of his window whilst shimmying out of his pants. 

There, on the otherwise impeccably white panelling of his neighbours house, someone had spray-painted the words

 _Date me to scare them_  
_or just because you want to_  
_Pick you up tomorrow at 5 if you do_

in neon yellow. With a smile, Luke pulled his phone out of his backpocket and snapped a picture of the graffiti. Then he sent it to Michael, following it up with a simple but effective _“I want to._ ” Luke was snuggled up beneath his sheets by the time his phone buzzed with Michael’s answer. The other boy had send nothing but a winking face. With a giggle, Luke put his phone on the night stand. He had already fallen asleep when the _Night, Lucas x_ arrived.

**Author's Note:**

> Please, feel free to tell me what you think via kudos/comments or on my [tumblr](http://mikeykink.tumblr.com/)! All the love, Carly xx


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